System for transporting materials



Feb. 3, 1942. J \(QGEL 2,271,726

SYSTEM FOR TRANSPORTING MATERIALS Filed May 8, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Leo J 1 0 6/ ATTORNEYS L; J. VOGEL SYSTEM FOR TRANSPORTING MATERIALS- Feb. 3, 1942.

Filed May 8, 1939 '15 Sheets-Sheet 2 JII W INVENT9R.

9 o fiw ATTORNEYS figs Zea J V i w 7 w w o w m a 5@ 5 ..O o i 4 w hl .2 w 5 n a 6 7 o a Feb. 3, 1942. V L 2,271,726

SYSTEM FOR TRANSPOR'IING MATERIALS Filed May 8, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 41 .15 L42 I 42 z J0 ZZ 11 cam l-muuuat a 4 MOTOR figio Zea J 1 537 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 3, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,271,726 SYSTEM FOR TRAN SPORTING MATERIALS Leo J. Vogel, Mount Lebanon, Pa. Application May 8, 1939, Serial No. 272,371

8 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and improved system for transporting materials.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide mechanism whereby a suitable carrier, such as a skip car, can automatically take up a predetermined load at a loading station, in order to transport said load to an unloading station.

Another object of the invention is to provide mechanism which is particularly adapted for use in connection with aerial tramways, although the invention is not restricted thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide mechanism whereby the carrier automatically causes the operation of feeding mechanism and time-control mechanism, when the carrier is moved to the loading position.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved electrical control means for the aforesaid purposes, it being understood that the invention is not limited to electrical control means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a system having a manual hand control, in case it is desired to increase the load Of a skip car or other carrier.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic control whereby the loading of the carrier is automatically discontinued after a predetermined period of time.

Other objects of my invention will be set forth in the following description and drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof, it being understood that the above statement of the objects or my invention is intended generall to explain the same without limiting it in any man ner.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved apparatus, partially in section, showing the lower outlet end of the hopper and also showin the auxiliary mechanism for feeding the material from the hopper into the skip-car.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, partially in plan, on

the line 22 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. This shows the positions of the parts of the control mechanism, shortly after the skipcar has been moved to loading position, and prior to the completion of the loading of the skipcar.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the control mecha-- circuit nism whereby the feeder motor has its The positions of the control parts correspond to the positions shown in Fig. 8.

opened by a time-control mechanism, and the circuit of the hauling motor i closed.

Fig. '7 shows the parts illustrated in Fig. 6, in the normal positions of said parts which correspond to Fig. 10.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the control circuits and their connections, corresponding tothe positions of the parts illustrated in Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 shows the parts illustrated in Fig. 8, in the positions of said parts corresponding to Fig. 6. This view shows the core-plunger 3| in the lower full-line position of Fig. 6, just before the energized solenoid 32 raises said plunger and the rod 1 and the pawl 28, to the upper broken-line positions of Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 shows the parts of Fig. 8 and Fig. 9, in the relative positions corresponding to Fig. 7.

The apparatus comprises a magazine or hopper I, which receives the material M to be conveyed. A trough 2 is provided with wheels 3, which can .move back and forth upon laterally spaced rails 4. Said rails 4 are mounted upon a suitable frame or platform. A lever 5 is pivotally connected at 6 to said frame.

A rod 1 is pivotally connected at 8 to the lever 5. Said rod 1 actuates the mechanism for operating certain of the control parts of. the apparatus. The trough 2 is pivotally connected to the lever 5, so that the trough 2 is reciprocated when the lever 5 is rocked. The lever 5 is pivotally. connected by means of a link 9 to a disc in which is mounted upon the shaft II.

The shaft II is provided with a gear l2, which meshes with the driving gear [4 of an electric motor l5. The operation of the electric motor l5 therefore causes the trough 2 to be reciprocated. The bottom outlet end of the hopper l is always open so that material i discharged continuously upon the trough 2. However, the trough 2 is of sufficient depth so as to stop the flow of material out of the hopper I, when said trough is held stationary under the hopper l, and the material has been accumulated in said trough up to a predetermined height. The trough 2 has two side walls and a rear wall, and it is open at its front end 2a.

The material M may be pebbles or the like, which are waste material resulting from the treatment of coal in mines and the like. Hence, even though the front end of the trough is open, material can be loaded into said trough, up to a predetermined height.

The skip-car H is of usual construction and it is provided with wheels [8, which ride upon suitable rails I9 of the loading platform. The skipcar is conveyed from the loading station shown in Fig. l to any suitable unloading station or stations, by any suitable means. Such means may be an endless cable 2 i which is connected to frame 2B of skip-car W. This cable 2! is driven by hauling motor by connecting means which are not shown, they are conventional. It is conventional to provide the motor 22 with a control switch which is located at the unloading station (not shown) so that the circuit of motor 22 is opened automatically by the skip-car at the unloading station.

In the particular embodiment shown, the skip-car moves on the track cables of an aerial tramway, when it moves off rails iii.

A casing 23 is located at any suitable place, as for example underneath the feed motor This casing has a shaft 2d provided with a sprocket 25. A chain 28 is connected to said sprocket 25, and a weight 2? is connected to the end of the chain 26. i

Referring to Fig. 4, the shaft 2 l-to turn in a clockwise direction.

As shown in an actuating-pawl 28 is pivotally connected to a collar which is mounted upon the rod l. When the trough 2 is reciprocated the rod l operates to turn the shaft Z lintermittently in the counter-oloolwise direction, so as to raise the weight El.

The pawl 28 cooperates with a ratchet-disc which is connected to the shaft A stop-pawl 53b is pivotally connected to the head of the core-plunger 3i of a solenoid The pawls 23 and Elli are provided with the usual spring (not shown) for biasing them so that they engage with the teeth of the ratchet-disc so, when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 4.

The rod 1 passes slidably through a suitable opening in the head of the core-plunger 3E. The ratchet disc is provided with a projecting lug 3 3. When the ratchet-disc 25 has been turned counterclockwise from the position shown in Fig. '7 to the position shown in Fig. 6, said lug 34 operates the switch to the position shown in Fig. 6. In said position the circuit of the motor iii is opened, and the circuit "of the hauling motor 22 is subsequently closed, within a predetermined period of time after the circuit of the motor Ed has opened. These operations will be later more specifically described.

When the solenoid 32 is energized so. as to raise the bead to the full-line position shown in Fig. 7, the ratchet disc 29 is free to turn in the clockwise dir. t on until the weight 2'] opens the switch Thi breaks the circuit of the solenoidi2 as will be later more fully described, so that the core plunger 3! then drops back to the position shown in Fig. 4.

When the weight is in the position shown in Fig. 7, the lug contacts with a stop which is adjustable within casing so that said stop can be located at any desired pointwithin said casing. The for connecting stop 31' adjustabiy to casing are not shown in the drawings, as said means are conventional. The counterweight '5 can also be adjusted by conventional means, adjusting the length of chain or by adjusting the position of the counterweight 27 on chain 28, so that the weight 2? open the switch when lug I abuts the adjustable stop 31. Hence, the position of the adjustable stop 37 determines the angle through which the ratchet disc 29 is turned counterclockwise, first to close the switch 35 and then to open switch 35.

It will be noted that when the core plunger weight 2? urges the 3i is raised, the rod 7 is turned upwardly so that the pawls 23 and 38 are released from the teeth of the ratchet disc 28.

Referring to Fig. 8, when the skip-car H is moved to the leading position iilustrated in Fig. 1, said skip-car moves a switch rod 38 to the left of the position illustrated in Fig. 1c. The switch rod 38 is located in a casing 353. A spring 40 normally maintains the switch rod 38 in the position illustrated in Fig. 10.

Fig. 8 shows the switch rod after it has been pushed inwardly from the normal position illustrated in Fig. 10, and when the sl-;lp-car H is in its leading position.

Direct current is supplied to the apparatus from the power mains ll and Of course alternating current could be used by installing a rectifier. Likewise there are certain types or solenoids of electro-magnets which are energized by alterhating current in order to exert a magnetic pull in a fixed direction, and such types of electromagnets or relays can be used if alternating cur rent is supplied through the mains ll and 42.

As shown in Fig. ll), the rod 36 has a collar or blade 23, which is normally spaced from the terminals l i. Said rod 38 has a second collar or blade i i which normally connects the terminals 66.

A third collar or blade 37 is normally spaced from the terminals it. A fourth collar or blade 58 is normally in contact with the terminals 50. Hence, in the normal position of the switch rod 38 which is shown in Fig. 10, the circuit of the feed motor i5 is open.

In the normal position of switch plunger 36a of switch (it, the circuit of solenoid 32 is also open, as shown in Fig. 10.

As shown in Fig. 10, the upper terminal of the solenoid 32 is connected by the member {:5 across the terminals dB to the power main 22.

The lower terminal of the solenoid 32 is connected to one of the terminals 330 of the switch 35. In the normal position shown in Fig. 10, the Weight 21 is in its bottom position (this being the position shown in Fi '7 and also shown in broken lines in Fig. 6), so that the plunger 36a of the switch $6 has been moved against the force of spring 265 so as to break the electrical connection between the terminals 330. Hence, the lower end of the solenoid 32 is not connected to the main ll, and the circuit of solenoid 32 is open. I

As the skip-car is moved to the loading position, the rod 38 is moved until it is in the position shown in Fig. 8, so that the circuit of the feed motor iii is closed through the member 43 and the terminals Mi. The loading of the skip-car is thus started. The rod l is therefore reciprocated to turn the ratchet wheel 25 counterclockwise, so as to raise the weight 2?.

In Fig. 8 the weight 2'! is shown in the position to which it has been raised after several intermittent movements of the ratchet wheel 29 and prior to the completion of the loading of the car. The compression spring 3512 closes the switch 36 as soon as the weight 2'! has been raised sufiiciently. However, the circuit of the solenoid 32 remains open as long as the member 45 is in the position shown in Fig. 8, namely, during the entire period of the loading of the skip-car. The ratchet-wheel 29 is intermittently actuated until the lug 34 turns the switch-arm 35 against the force of the tension spring 35a which normally holds the'switch-arm 35 in the position shown in Fig. 8, against a suitable stop (not shown).

The switch-arm 35 is thus movedto contact with the terminal 35?). The hand-switch H is normally maintained in the position shown in Fig. 8, by means of a suitable compression spring.

Therefore when the switch-arm 35 has been moved to contact with the terminal 3511, a circuit is closed from the main 42, through the terminal 3517, the switch-arm 35, the terminals 66 of the hand-switch H, through the terminals 48 and the member 41, to the right-hand end of the relay R, through relay R to main 4|.

The energized relay R, moves switch armature 5| from the normal position shown in Fig. to the position shown in Fig. 9, thu breaking the circuit of motor I 5, since this circuit includes the switch-armature 5| and the terminals 52. Likewise, when the terminals 53 are connected through the switch-armature 5|, this closes the circuit of the hauling motor 22, as illustrated in Fig. 9. This causes the loaded skip-car to be moved away from the platform, thus permitting the member 38 to move outwardly to the normal position illustrated in Fig. 10.

In Fig. 8 the member 38 is shown in its innermost position, corresponding to loading position.

The switch-armature 5| and its terminals 52 thus act as a limit switch or limit-device, to limit the loading of the. coveyor. By adjusting the stop 34 on the ratchet-wheel 29, and by adjusting the stop 31, the loading-period can be ended after any desired number of full-feeding strokes, plus any desired fraction of a feeding stroke. The adjustable connection between stops 34 and 31 and their respective supports is conventional and not hown.

In Fig. 9, the member 38 is shown as having moved outwardly to its outermost position, the skip-car now being out of contact with the head of said member 38. Fig. 9 shows the circuit of the hauling motor 22 closed through the member 49 and the terminals 56, so that when the switcharmature 5| is moved to the position shown in N leasing the ratchet disc 29, as shown in Fig. 10, so that the weight 21 is freed to move dOWI1-,

wardly.

When the weight 2'! descends sufliciently, it opens the switch 36 so as to break the circuit of the solenoid 32. drops under the action of gravity back to the position illustrated in Fig. 4 and also in Fig. 9, so that the apparatus is ready to load another skip-car when said skip-car arrives at the loading platform to push the member 38 inwardly.

The period during which the skip-car is loaded is controlled by the time which is required to turn the shaft 24, so as to move the switch arm 35 from the position shown either in Fig. 8 or in Fig. 10 to the position shown in Fig. 9.

The switch H permits the operator manually to control the loading of the skip-car if the skipcar is oversized or if the material is too fine.

By pressing the switch H downwardly, the connection between the terminals 66 is broken, and the terminals 6| are connected by said handswitch.

If the connection between the terminal 66 is broken, the relay R cannot be energized so that the circuit of the hauling motor 22 remains open.

The core plunger 3| then maintains the circuit of the feeding motor I5 closed so as to feed more materia1 into the skipcar. This additional actuation of the motor l5 would tend to continue the counterclockwise turning of the ratchet wheel 29 beyond the desired angle.

Therefore the ratchet wheel 29 has a portion 65 of its periphery where one or more of the ratchet teeth are omitted.

When the lug 34 has moved the arm 35 to the position shown in Fig. 6 and also in Fig. 9, this portion 65 is directly adjacent the pawl 36 so that the disc 29 and its shaft 24 can oscillate, being turned clockwise by the weight 21 whenever the pawl 28 is moved rearwardly. This prevents overfeeding of the disc 29, if the hand switch is utilized for the aforesaid purpose. Likewise, when the circuit of motor I5 is opened, said motor and the rod 1 continue to operate under their momentum. However, when the circuit of motor I5 is opened, the stop-pawl 36 contacts with the long or idler tooth 65 of the ratchet-disc 29. The ratchet-disc 29 then oscillates idly so that it is not overdriven.

The time-control mechanism therefore include a movable member 29 which is moved in a predetermined direction, only through a predetermined distance, during each loading period. The time-control mechanism has its own driving means, to wit, the weight 21, for moving said movable member 29 in a reverse direction after a loading period has been completed and before the beginning of the next loading period, to a predetermined initial position.

' At the end of a predetermined loading period, the motor-driven load-controlling means can therefore operate under their. own momentum, without moving said movable member 29 beyond its predetermined position at the end of a loading period. The drive between motor I5 and member 29 can therefore be designated as a drive which is a lost-motion drive when member 29 has been actuated through said predetermined distance.

, The operation of the device is as follows:

Before the skip-car arrives at the loading station which is illustrated in Fig. 1, the normal positions of the parts are shown in Fig. '7 and also in Fig. 10. When the skip-car arrives at the loading station, it pushes the switch-rod 38 inwardly against the force of spring 46. This inner position of the switch-rod 38 is shown in Fig. 8.

While the parts are in the normal position illustrated in Fig. 7 and in Fig. 10, the circuit of the feed motor I5 is open because the switch-arm 43 is spaced from the contacts 44. While the parts are in said normal position, the circuit of the hauling motor 22 is closed by member 49 across terminals 56. Lug 34 then abuts the stop 31, which has been adjusted to the desired position and the counterweight 21 holds switch 36 open.

When the switch-rod 38 is pushed into the inner position shown in Fig. 8, the switch-member 43 contacts with the terminals 44, thus clos-v ing the circuit of the feed motor l5. The switchmember 49 is now spaced from the contact terminals 56, thus opening the circuitof the hauling motor 22. The feed motor l5 now reciprocates the trough 2 so as to load the skip-car l1. As soon as the motor l5 begins to operate, it reciprocates the rod 1, so as to turn the ratchet disc 29 intermittently by means of the springbiased pawl 28, thus raising the weight 21 from I Likewise, if the hand-switch is operated, this the position shown in Fig. '7. When the weight 27 is raised, the plunger 3% of the switch 36 is raised by the spring 3%, until said plunger touches the terminal contactsiific, thus closing one of the open parts of the circuit of the solenoid 32. The switch 36 is preferably closed, immediately after the feeder begins to operate.

After the feeding motor has operated for a predetermined period, the lug 34 turns the switch-arm 35 against the force of the biasing spring 35a until the switch-arm 35 touches the terminal contact 3%. This energizes the relay R so that the switch-armature is moved from the normal position which is indicated in Fig. 10, to the position which is indicated in Fig. 9. This breaks the circuit of the feeding motor 15 and closes the circuit of the hauling motor 22so that the hauling motor 22 operates to move the skipcar ll away from the loading station.

As the car moves away from the loading station, the switch-rod 38 is moved by the spring 4t back to its outer position, which is also illustrated in Fig. 9. This opens the circuit of the feed motor [5 at the contact terminals 45, and closes the circuit of the hauling motor 22 at the contact terminals 54].

When the switch-rod 38 is moved back to its outer position, the circuit of the relay R is broken at the contact terminals 48 so that the member 5| is moved by the spring 55a back to the position which is illustrated in Fig. 10. The skip-car I! is thereupon moved by the endless cable 2! to the unloading station, at which point the skipcar operates the usual switch for openingthe circuit of the hauling motor 22. When the switch 38 has moved back to the position shown in Fig. 8, the circuit of solenoid 33 is closed by member 45, so that core-plunger 3! is raised, thus disengaging the pawls 28 and ii! from the ratchetwheel 29. The weight 2'1 thus reversely turns ratchet-wheel 29 to its predetermined initial position, thus opening switch 36 and the respective part of the circuit of the solenoid, and permitting the plunger 3! to descend to its lower position in which the pawls 28 and 35 can engage the ratchet teeth of member 29, only after said member 29 has reached said predetermined initial position. The hauling motor 22 can be manually controlled, if desired, at any suitable station. It has the usual reversing switch (not shown) which is operated automatically by the skip-car so that the motor moves the skip-car back and forth between the loading station and the unloading station, in the well-known manner. known practice.

If it is desired to increase the length of the loading period of the skip-car H, the handswitch H is depressed until it closes the circuit across the contact terminals 6!. This closes the circuit for the feed motor I5 and it breaks the circuit of the relay R at the contact terminals 68.

While I have shown electrical control means, it would not be departing from the invention to utilize mechanical or hydraulic or pneumatic control means. Likewise the time-control mechanism which is exemplified may be replaced by other time-control means which need not necessarily be operated in unison with the feed motor l5. Switches which are moved manually or automatically to close a circuit and which subse quently open the circuit after a predetermined period of time are well-known on the market as standard articles of commerce, and I can use the same.

This detail is not illustrated, as it is well- While I have shown the use of a single skip car which is moved back and forth between a loading-station and an unloading station, the invention is not limited to such a system, and it includes every type of loading and conveyor system. Whenever I refer in the claims to a single car or conveyor, said claims include a system which utilizes a plurality of cars or conveyors.

Various loading systems are well-known which utilize a loading bin having an outlet which is controlled by a gate.

For convenience I have designated certain of the parts by reference letters or characters in certain of the claims. This is not to be understood as limiting the invention.

Another important feature is that the equipment is self-protecting against any undesired condition which might cause it to operate con tinuously. Since the ratchet teeth are cut away at the zone 65, the mechanism cannot operate when the pawl St is at said zone so. The stop 3'! which is shown in Fig. 4 can be adjusted at any part of the circular zone in which the ratchet wheel is located. The switch 35 which is shown in Figs. 8-10 is the equival nt of a fine or micrometer adjustment which will cause the limit switch to trip at any point between full strokes. For example if it is desired to stop the operation of the device after the feeding mechanism has operated for 5 /2 strokes or 5 strokes, the stop 31 can be adjusted so as to give 5 strokes and the change in position with the limiting switch will take care of the fractional part of the stroke.

It is well known in loading systems to discharge a predetermined quantity of the material into the loading bin or hopper and to discharge the material from this loading bin or hopper to the skipcar or other conveyor, by causing the skip car or other conveyor to trip the loading bin or to open a gate of the loading bin, when the skip car or other conveyor comes to the loading position relative to said loading bin. The invention is therefore not limited to the idea of discharging the material directly into the skip car.

In the embodiment disclosed herein the conveyor moves back-and-forth between the loading station and the unloading station. However there are well-known systems in which the conveyors move continuously in a predetermined path, the loading station being located at one part of said path, and the unloading station being located at another part of said path. The invention is therefore not limited to a system in which the conveyor or conveyors move back-andforth between the loading station and the unloading station.

I claim:

1. A system for transporting material, comprising a loading station, feeding means located at said station and adapted to feed said material, an electric feeding motor adapted to actuate said feeding means, a conveyor movable to said station and away therefrom, a second electric motor adapted. to actuate said conveyor, first switch means located at said. loading station and having a normal position, said first switch means controlling the circuits of said motors and open.- ing the circuit of the feeding motor and closing the circuit of the second motor when. the switch. means are in said normal position, the circuit of said feeding motor having second switch means which include first spaced terminals, a movable arm associated with said terminals and biased normally to contact with said terminals, a relay adapted to operate said movable arm, the second motor having second spaced terminals which close the circuit of the second motor when said second spaced terminals are connected by said arm, said arm being mounted to move away from the first terminals and to contact with the second terminals when the relay is energized, time-control mechanism adapted to energize said relay after a predetermined period of time.

2. A system according to claim 1 in which said time-control mechanism is operated in unison with the operation of said feeding motor.

3. A system for transporting material, comprising a loading station, a conveyor movable towards said loading station and away therefrom, feeding means adapted to feed material to the conveyor at the loading station, an electric feeding motor [5 connected to said feeding means, an electric hauling motor 22 adapted to actuate the conveyor towards said station and away therefrom, the circuit of the feeding motor comprising a first pair of separated terminals 44 and a second pair of separated terminals 52, the circuit of the hauling motor comprising a third pair of separated terminals 53 and a fourth pair of separated terminals 50, a solenoid 32 whose circuit comprises a fifth pair of separated terminals 360 and also a sixth pair of separated terminals 46, a relay R whose circuit comprises a seventh pair of separated terminals 48 and an eighth pair of separated terminals 3512, switch means 38 having a normal position, said switch means 38 having a first switch member 43 adjacent and spaced from the first terminals 44 when said switch means 38 are in normal position, said switch means having a second switch member 41 which is adjacent and spaced from the seventh switch terminals 48 when the switch means 38 are in normal position, said switch means 38 having a third switch member 49 which contacts with the fourth terminals 50 when the switch means 38 are in normal position, a switch armature 5| adapted to be operated by the relay R, said switch-armature 5| being biased to normal position in which it contacts with the second terminals 52 and in which it is spaced from the third terminals 53, said switcharmature 5| being operated by said relay B when it is energized to move away from the second terminals 52 and to contact with the third terminals 53 so as to close the circuit of the second electric hauling motor 22, a fourth switch member 36a biased to contact with the fifth terminals 360, a weight 21 adapted to rest upon the fourth switch member 36a and to hold it out of contact with the fifth terminals 360, pawland-ratchet means operated by the feeding motor [5 and adapted to raise the weight 21 so as to permit the fourth switch member 36a to move to contact with the fifth terminals 360, means operated by the energizing of the solenoid 32 to move said paWl-and-ratchet means to an inoperative position, a fifth switch member 35 movable to a position in which it contacts with both of the eighth terminals 352), said fifth switch member 35 being biased to a normal position in which it leaves the circuit between the eighth terminals 35b open, said switch means 38 being located in the path of movement of the skip car so that the skip car is adapted to actuate said switch means 38 until the first switch member 43 contacts with the first terminals 44 and the second switch member 41 contacts with the seventh terminals 48 and the third switch member 49 is spaced from the fourth terminals 50, the ratchet 29 of said pawland-ratchet means having a lug 34 adapted to contact with the fifth switch member 35 and to move said fifth switch member 35 until it contacts with both of the eighth terminals 35b after said ratchet 29 has been turned through a predetermined arc.

4. A device according to claim 3 in which the circuit of the feeding motor includes a ninth pair of terminals BI and the circuit of the relay includes a tenth pair of spaced terminals 60, a manually operable switch member H biased normally to contact with the tenth terminals 60, said switch member H being movable away from the tenth terminal 60 to contact with the ninth terminal 6 I 5. A device according to claim 3 having manually operable switch means adapted to control the circuit of the relay R and of the feeding motor l5, the ratchet of said pawl-and-ratchet means having a smooth portion which permits said ratchet to rock when said smooth portion is adjacent the pawl means of said pawl-andratchet means.

6. A system for transporting material, comprising a loading-station, a conveyor movable towards said loading station and away therefrom, power-driven conveyor-actuating mechanism adapted to move the conveyor towards said loading-station into loading position and away from said loading-station, movable load-controlling means located at said loading-station and adapted to control the load which is delivered to said conveyor while the conveyor is located during a loading-period in said loading-position, movable time-control mechanism adapted to control said load-controlling means so as to discontinue the supply of material to the conveyor at the end of a predetermined loading-period, said time-control mechanism including a movable member which is moved in a predetermined direction and only through a predetermined distance during the respective predetermined loading-period, and additional manually controlled means adapted to increase said loading period while said movable member is moved only through said predetermined distance and in said predetermined direc tion.

'7. A system for transporting material, comprising a loading-station, a conveyor movable towards said loading station and away therefrom, power-driven conveyor-actuating mechanism adapted to move the conveyor towards said loading-station into loading position and away from said loading-station, movable load-controlling means located at said loading-station and adapted to control the load which is delivered to said conveyor while the conveyor is located during a loading-period in said loading-position, movable time-control mechanism adapted to control said load-controlling means so as to discontinue the supply of material to the conveyor at the end of a predetermined loading-period, said time-control mechanism including a movable member which is moved in a predetermined direction and only through a predetermined distance during the respective predetermined loading-period, a motor adapted to actuate said load-controlling means and connected to said movable member by a drive which actuates said movable member in said predetermined direction, said drive being a lostmotion drive after said movable member has been moved through said predetermined distance in said predetermined direction.

8. A system for transporting material, comprising a loading-station, a conveyor movable towards said loading-station into loading-position and away therefrom, power-driven conveyoractuating mechanism adapted to actuate said conveyor into loading-position and away therefrom, motor-driven feeding means adapted to feed a load of material to said conveyor while it is in loading position, a turnable ratchet-disc having a series of operating ratchet-teeth and an idler ratchet tooth which succeeds said operating ratchet teeth, said idler ratchet tooth being longer than the preceding operating ratchettooth, an operating pawl connected to the motor of said feeding means and adapted to be reciprocated by said motor so as to contact with successive operating ratchet teeth and to turn said ratchet-disc intermittently in the same direction, a stop-pawl adapted to engage said oper- 15 free to return to its predetermined initial; position LEO J VOGEL. 

